Close Call
by JediTears09
Summary: Standard escape pods are built for one person only- and the Endar Spire's were no exception. So how was Carth and Revan's rocky flight to Taris's surface? Click and find out!


_A/N: I remember seeing the inside of the crashed escape pod in the undercity and thinking… that's a small space. So how was Carth and Revan's trip from the Endar Spire to the surface? Read on to find out! :)P.S. My current character's name is Anya Shadowblade, so that's what I'll be calling her in this fic. (Also, I don't own KotOR, or the first couple lines of dialogue.) Enjoy!_

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><p>The door slid open to reveal, at last, the escape pods. A tall man in a garishly orange jacket stood near the last pod. As Anya stepped into the room, his grim expression lessened, and he looked faintly relieved to see her.<p>

"You made it just in time! There's only one active escape pod left. Come on, we can hide out on the planet below!" His voice sounded hoarse from hours of desperately shouting orders to panicky crew members.

Momentarily at a loss of what to say, Anya stuttered, "Who are you?"

The man's eyes softened when he saw how shook up she was, and he said gently, "I'm a soldier with the Republic, like you. We're the last two crew members left on the Endar Spire. Bastila's escape pod's already gone, so there's no reason for us to stick around here and get shot by the Sith. Now come on - there'll be time for questions later!"

He walked over to the pod door, and looked at her expectantly. Taking the hint, Anya yanked open the heavy door and slipped inside. Her knees were almost at eye level once she sat down, and the top of her head brushed the stained metal ceiling. _This is a **really** small pod…_

And then Carth got in. Now, your standard escape pod is usually only built for one person. Carth's broad shoulders barely squeezed through the door, and after it clanged shut, it was a hassle just to hit the launch button.

Carth half-sat, half-crouched on the edge of the seat, leaning his back against the pod door. His head had to be tilted at an awkward angle, with his temple pressed up against the top of the pod. Even then, it was a tight fit. They both gazed out the tiny, dirt-smudged window, and watched in stunned silence as the _Endar Spire_ exploded.

Carth sighed. "Well… that's it, I suppose. At least most of the crew made it out okay. I don't know what will happen now, but at least we're alive."

Anya looked at him blankly.

"Oh, right, we haven't been properly introduced. My name is Carth Onasi."

"Nice to meet you, sir. I'm Anya Shadowblade."

Carth chuckled weakly. "You can just call me Carth. I'd shake your hand, but I'm afraid if I move, I'll fall over and knock the pod off course."

Anya smiled thinly. It was hard to appreciate humor after what had just happened.

An uncomfortable silence hung in the air. However fast the weightless feeling in her stomach told her they were going, it was still a long way to the surface.

A huge jolt shook the pod as they hit the atmosphere, and Carth was thrown off balance. To save himself from crashing into Anya, he threw an arm out. His palm smashed into the wall next to her head, but they were both uninjured.

What had been a little bit too close, was now agonizingly awkward. Their faces were a few small inches apart. Anya shrunk back in her seat to avoid contact with him. He was ruggedly handsome, sure, but still a stranger.

Carth cleared his throat to break the silence. "Hey, I like your perfume. You smell really sweet." He winced a little as he heard himself say it. Whoops, conversational compliment fail.

Anya looked down at her knees. "Thanks. You smell really, ah…" She looked for a nice way to say, 'like you forgot the ship had showers'. "…manly."

What Anya could see of Carth's face turned a little red, clashing with his jacket and his hair. "Oh, wow. I'm sorry about that. It's been a little hectic lately, you know?"

"Yeah, I know. I was there."

"Right, right…" More uncomfortable silence.

Looking around for something to say, Anya caught sight of the top of a building hurtling by the window.

"Oh, god," she gasped, squeezing her eyes shut. Instinctively, she buried her head in Carth's shoulder and gripped his forearm with the hand that wasn't clutching the edge of her seat.

Carth threw an arm around her shoulders and hugged her close as the pod hit the ground.

The last thing Anya remembered was shaking hands cradling her head and Carth's worried face hovering over her as she lost the battle for consciousness.


End file.
